Donald Cerrone competed in the Lightweight and Welterweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
104 Facts About Donald Cerrone
2.
Donald Cerrone was born in Denver, Colorado and is of Irish and Italian descent.
3.
At a young age, Donald Cerrone was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder but never received treatment for it.
4.
When Donald Cerrone was about 16 his parents were fed up with his behavior and sent him off to go live with his paternal grandmother Jerry Donald Cerrone.
5.
Donald Cerrone claimed that Jerry took him in with open arms.
6.
Donald Cerrone attended Air Academy High School, where he began professional bull riding.
7.
At the age of 20, by advise of a friend, Donald Cerrone began training in kickboxing and then later Muay Thai.
8.
Donald Cerrone began his career in Commerce City, Colorado at a gym called Freedom Fighters.
9.
In 2006, Donald Cerrone began training with Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, Nathan Marquardt, Keith Jardine, Georges St-Pierre, Leonard Garcia, Tom Watson and other skilled MMA fighters at Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting Gaidojutsu school in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
10.
Donald Cerrone's first fight in the promotion was against Kenneth Alexander.
11.
Originally a win via submission in 56 seconds of the first round, the decision was changed to a no-contest when Donald Cerrone tested positive hydrochlorothiazide, a banned diuretic.
12.
Donald Cerrone was scheduled to face Rich Crunkilton at WEC 34, but Crunkilton was forced off the card with an injury and replaced by Danny Castillo.
13.
Donald Cerrone won the bout via armbar in the first round.
14.
Donald Cerrone then faced Rob McCullough at WEC 36 on November 5,2008.
15.
However, the fight was stopped prematurely in the fifth round when Donald Cerrone hit Varner's temple with an illegal knee while Varner was still on the ground.
16.
Donald Cerrone was again scheduled to face Rich Crunkilton on June 7,2009, at WEC 41, but Crunkilton was forced off the card with an injury and replaced by James Krause.
17.
Donald Cerrone fought Benson Henderson for the WEC Interim Lightweight Championship on October 10,2009, at WEC 43 in San Antonio, Texas, losing by unanimous decision.
18.
Donald Cerrone faced Ed Ratcliff on December 19,2009, in the event headliner at WEC 45.
19.
Donald Cerrone fought Benson Henderson in a rematch of their 2009 Fight of the Year, this time for the WEC Lightweight Championship on April 24,2010, at WEC 48.
20.
Donald Cerrone faced rival Jamie Varner in their highly anticipated rematch on September 30,2010, at WEC 51.
21.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via unanimous decision, winning all three rounds.
22.
Donald Cerrone instead faced Chris Horodecki on December 16,2010, at WEC 53.
23.
Donald Cerrone won via submission in the second round with a triangle choke.
24.
Donald Cerrone faced Paul Kelly on February 5,2011, at UFC 126, replacing an injured Sam Stout.
25.
Donald Cerrone defeated Kelly via tapout due to a rear naked choke.
26.
Donald Cerrone was expected to face Mac Danzig on June 11,2011, at UFC 131.
27.
Donald Cerrone was expected to face Paul Taylor on August 14,2011, at UFC on Versus 5, replacing an injured John Makdessi.
28.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via TKO three minutes into the opening round, earning Knockout of Night honors for the performance.
29.
Donald Cerrone faced Dennis Siver on October 29,2011, at UFC 137, replacing Sam Stout.
30.
Donald Cerrone defeated Siver via first round submission, earning Submission of the Night honors.
31.
Donald Cerrone next faced Nate Diaz at UFC 141 on December 30,2011.
32.
Donald Cerrone lost the back-and-forth fight via unanimous decision, in a performance that earned both participants Fight of the Night honors.
33.
Donald Cerrone was expected to face Yves Edwards on May 15,2012, at UFC on Fuel TV: The Korean Zombie vs Poirier.
34.
Donald Cerrone fought Melvin Guillard on August 11,2012, at UFC 150.
35.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via knockout in the first round.
36.
Donald Cerrone faced Anthony Pettis on January 26,2013, at UFC on Fox 6.
37.
Donald Cerrone faced Rafael dos Anjos on August 28,2013, at UFC Fight Night 27.
38.
Donald Cerrone faced Evan Dunham on November 16,2013, at UFC 167.
39.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via triangle choke in the second round.
40.
Donald Cerrone faced Adriano Martins on January 25,2014, at UFC on Fox 10.
41.
Donald Cerrone won the fight by knockout due to a headkick in the first round.
42.
Donald Cerrone faced Edson Barboza on April 19,2014, at UFC on Fox 11.
43.
Donald Cerrone dropped his opponent with a strong jab in the first and quickly secured the rear-naked choke submission for the win.
44.
Donald Cerrone faced Jim Miller on July 16,2014, at UFC Fight Night 45.
45.
Donald Cerrone defeated Miller via knockout in the second round due to a head kick and punches, becoming the first man to give Miller a professional knockout loss.
46.
Donald Cerrone was briefly linked to a bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov on September 27,2014, at UFC 178.
47.
Subsequently, Donald Cerrone was matched with Bobby Green at the event.
48.
In turn, Donald Cerrone eventually faced former Bellator Lightweight Champion and UFC newcomer Eddie Alvarez in the co-main event of the card.
49.
Donald Cerrone faced Myles Jury on January 3,2015, at UFC 182.
50.
Donald Cerrone commented on his desire to fight him was due to his disdain over Jury's arrogant response after defeating Donald Cerrone's former training partner, Diego Sanchez, in UFC 171.
51.
Donald Cerrone was expected to face Khabib Nurmagomedov on May 23,2015, at UFC 187.
52.
Donald Cerrone faced Rafael dos Anjos in the main event at UFC on Fox 17 on December 19,2015.
53.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via TKO just 66 seconds into the first round.
54.
Donald Cerrone was expected to face Tim Means in a welterweight bout on February 21,2016, at UFC Fight Night 83.
55.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via submission in the first round.
56.
Donald Cerrone was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.
57.
Donald Cerrone next faced Patrick Cote on June 18,2016, at UFC Fight Night 89.
58.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via TKO in the third round and earned himself another Performance of the Night bonus.
59.
Donald Cerrone next faced Rick Story on August 20,2016, at UFC 202.
60.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via TKO in the second round and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.
61.
Donald Cerrone was briefly linked to a bout with Robbie Lawler on November 12,2016, at UFC 205.
62.
However, Lawler turned down the fight and Donald Cerrone was then scheduled to face Kelvin Gastelum on the card.
63.
Consequently, Donald Cerrone was quickly rescheduled and faced Matt Brown the following month at UFC 206.
64.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via knockout in the third round.
65.
Donald Cerrone faced Jorge Masvidal on January 28,2017, in the co-main event at UFC on Fox 23.
66.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via TKO in the second round.
67.
Donald Cerrone was expected to face Robbie Lawler on July 8,2017, at UFC 213.
68.
Donald Cerrone lost the back-and-forth fight by a very close unanimous decision that many feel that Donald Cerrone should have indeed won.
69.
Donald Cerrone faced Darren Till on October 21,2017, in the main event at UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs Till.
70.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via TKO in the first round.
71.
Donald Cerrone faced Yancy Medeiros on February 18,2018, at UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs Medeiros.
72.
Donald Cerrone won the fight via technical knockout out in round one.
73.
On June 23,2018, Donald Cerrone faced Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 132.
74.
Donald Cerrone faced Mike Perry on November 10,2018, at UFC Fight Night 139.
75.
Donald Cerrone won the fight by submission due to an armbar in the first round, becoming the first fighter to finish Perry in MMA.
76.
Donald Cerrone's fight earned him the Performance of the Night award.
77.
Donald Cerrone faced Alexander Hernandez in a lightweight bout on January 19,2019, at UFC Fight Night 143.
78.
Donald Cerrone was successful in his return to Lightweight, winning the fight via TKO in the second round, after outstriking and outwrestling Hernandez throughout the fight.
79.
Donald Cerrone added another record to his legacy, becoming the fighter with the most fight bonuses at sixteen.
80.
Donald Cerrone faced Al Iaquinta on May 4,2019, at UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs Cowboy.
81.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via technical knockout in between the second and third rounds after an attempt to blow his nose caused his eye to swell shut, rendering him unable to continue.
82.
Donald Cerrone faced Justin Gaethje on September 14,2019, at UFC Fight Night 158.
83.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via knockout out in round one.
84.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via technical knockout in the first round.
85.
Donald Cerrone faced Anthony Pettis in a rematch on May 9,2020, at UFC 249.
86.
Donald Cerrone faced Niko Price on September 19,2020, at UFC Fight Night 178.
87.
Donald Cerrone was scheduled to face Diego Sanchez on May 8,2021, at UFC on ESPN 24.
88.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via technical knockout in round one.
89.
Donald Cerrone was scheduled to face Joe Lauzon in a lightweight bout on April 30,2022, at UFC Fight Night 208.
90.
Donald Cerrone lost the fight via guillotine choke submission in the second round and subsequently announced his retirement during the post-fight interview.
91.
Donald Cerrone competed against Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of Submission Underground 19 on December 20,2022.
92.
The match went to EBI overtime and Donald Cerrone won by armbar at 20 seconds of the first round.
93.
On December 19,2021, Donald Cerrone competed in his first professional grappling match against Craig Jones under the Combat Jiu-Jitsu ruleset at the Featherweight edition of the CJJ World Championships.
94.
Donald Cerrone tapped out after being put in a rear-naked choke by Jones a little over halfway into the regulation period.
95.
On December 30,2021, Donald Cerrone competed in a grappling match against Joe Solecki at Fury Pro Grappling 3.
96.
Donald Cerrone has had small roles in film and television since 2017, including appearing in the 2020 Netflix film Spenser Confidential.
97.
Donald Cerrone aced in a starring role, opposite Gina Carano, in the 2022 Daily Wire film Terror on the Prairie.
98.
In 2014, Donald Cerrone established an MMA gym at his property in Edgewood, New Mexico to lower his training camp costs by hosting his training partners at the estate.
99.
In 2014, the UFC lightweight fighter Bobby Green accused Donald Cerrone of making racist comments towards him and about black people, in a since deleted interview with journalist Ariel Helwani.
100.
Donald Cerrone dismissed his claims, maintaining that if he were racist, he wouldn't "have three black guys living with [him]".
101.
Donald Cerrone has been criticized for his casual online usage of the racial slur "nigga", including in a 2016 exchange on Instagram with his sparring partner Said Nurmagomedov, in which each one referred to the other as "my nigga".
102.
Donald Cerrone reacted to the criticism with a since-deleted Instagram post, which showed a photo of him wearing a then-recently released UFC rainbow T-shirt in support of the LGBTQ community and in which he apologized for his choice of words.
103.
Until 2009, Donald Cerrone was one of a number of MMA fighters sponsored by Hoelzer Reich, a t-shirt company that includes symbols such as the Iron Cross on its t-shirts, which detractors have stated is Nazi imagery.
104.
Donald Cerrone revealed that he refused orders to wear a mask on national television because he "doesn't stand for that shit" and that he is a "true-gritted hard core American Republican".